Orchidaceae is the "flagship" group among plants under protection. More than two-thirds of orchids in China are in a rare and endangered state. There are about 400 wild orchids in Xishuangbanna, southwest China's Yunnan Province. Great efforts have been invested in seed collection and artificial cultivation of endangered orchid species by scientists at Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanic Garden. As the country enters late spring, some 100 species of orchids have started blooming in the botanic garden showing the diverse beauty of flowers in the orchid family.

(Zhu Renbin, Mo Haibo and Yang Zhen are all from Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanic Garden.)

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